Elderly man found guilty of assaulting a woman wearing a hijab and others

An 81-year-old man was in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday, found guilty of assaulting Muslim women.

After a trial earlier this week at the London Courthouse, James Henkel, 81, has been found guilty on a total of six counts, including assault, assault with a weapon, and mischief.

The case stems from an incident involving a Muslim woman wearing a hijab and two others who intervened. They were confronted and accosted by a man near Wonderland Road and Springbank Drive in the Berkshire subdivision in September of 2024.

At one point, a knife was displayed by the man before he left the scene.

During the trial before Justice Thomas Stinson, a loud video, which included screaming, was shown in the courtroom.

A sentencing hearing for Henkel is expected to be held on Aug. 24.